Birdville Independent School District 6125 East Belknap Haltom City, Texas 76117-4296 817-547-5700 Fax 817-838-7261 www.birdville.ki2.tx.us Stephen F. Waddell, Ed.D. Superintendent BIRDVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT CHEERLEADER/MASCOT CONSTITUTION PHILOSOPHY/PURPOSE/GOALS The purpose of Birdville Independent School District s Cheerleaders and Mascots will be to promote positive school spirit for Birdville ISD s three high schools. Cheerleaders and spirit groups exist to promote good sportsmanship, good citizenship, wholesome and enthusiastic school spirit and are first and foremost representatives of their school. Because of these responsibilities, members of the cheerleading squad and mascot(s) will be expected to maintain a higher standard of behavior (both on and off campus) and academic achievement than that of their peers. Cheerleaders and Mascot(s) will help develop a good sense of sportsmanship among the student body. Support of Birdville, Haltom or Richland High School activities will take precedence over any outside activity, including, but not limited to, jobs, community commitments, and family functions. Varsity Cheerleaders will lead cheers and perform routines at selected scheduled varsity events and pep rallies. This includes volleyball games, girls and boys basketball games, football games, some baseball games, some soccer games, some softball games, all playoff games and all other events deemed necessary by school administration or cheerleader coach. Mascots will attend all events with Varsity Cheerleaders. Junior Varsity Cheerleaders will attend designated home junior varsity games. Buses will be supplied for one away game each semester. They will attend other events deemed necessary by school administration or cheerleader coach. Freshman Cheerleaders will attend only designated home freshman games and may attend certain away games. They will attend other events deemed necessary by school administration or cheerleader coach. 1
MEMBERSHIP The Varsity cheerleading squad will consist of 11 th and 12 th grade students. The Junior Varsity squad will consist of 10 th and 11 th grade students. The Freshman squad will consist of 9 th grade students. At high schools with a total enrollment of 2,500 or more students, the squad composition will be as follows: Varsity = maximum of eighteen (18) cheerleaders; JV = maximum of fifteen (15) members; Freshmen = maximum of twelve (12) members. At high schools with a total enrollment of less than 2,500 students, the squad composition will be as follows: Varsity = maximum fifteen (15) cheerleaders; Junior Varsity = maximum twelve (12) cheerleaders; Freshman = maximum ten (10) cheerleaders. All candidates will be selected with a score that combines a panel score and an academic/discipline score. Judges scores will have a 70% weight and the academic/discipline score will have a 30% weight. The judges scores will be derived the day of tryouts from a panel of impartial professional cheerleader consultants. The academic/discipline scores will be derived from the report cards and any referrals on file with the cheerleading liaison Assistant Principal s Office. Senior candidates final total scores will be weighted by.075 and junior candidates final total scores will be weighted by.050. At high schools with a total enrollment of 2,500 or more students, up to eighteen (18) of the highest scoring junior and senior candidates will make up the Varsity squad; up to fifteen (15) of the remaining high scoring junior and sophomore candidates will make up the JV squad, and up to twelve (12) freshmen candidates will make up the Freshman squad. At high schools with a total enrollment of less than 2,500 students, up to fifteen (15) of the highest scoring junior and senior candidates will make up the Varsity squad; up to twelve (12) of the remaining high scoring junior and sophomore candidates will make up the Junior Varsity squad; and up to ten (10) freshmen candidates will make up the Freshman squad. The top scoring mascot candidate(s) will be selected as mascot(s). Mascot candidates do not receive weighted scores. Mascot scores will consist of 60% judges score, 20% student body score and 20% academic/discipline score. The day of tryouts, all candidates will perform cheers and/or routines before the judges panel in the gymnasium at a centralized location. ELIGIBILITY - TRYOUTS 1. Secure an information packet/registration form. 2. Have a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian. 3. Attend a mandatory pre-tryout meeting. Parent and candidate are both required to attend the meeting before being allowed to try out. 2
4. Have a signed doctor s release. If selected, a UIL Medical History and Physical Examination Form must be filed annually at each high school. 5. Must have attended the high school where seeking a position for at least three (3) of the four (4) preceding six weeks prior to tryouts, one of which must have been the fourth (4th) six weeks. Students who move into the district because of a bona fide residence change from outside the district or who reside in the district and have been enrolled in private school are eligible to try out provided all other eligibility criteria are satisfied. 6. Must be in good physical condition and be able to withstand strenuous activity. 7. Attend practice sessions conducted before tryouts. 8. Must not have prior outstanding cheerleader debt. EXPECTATIONS OF CHEERLEADERS/MASCOT The student must be able to provide all required uniforms, emblems, paraphernalia, etc. This includes uniforms, equipment, and refreshments for various events. The student will also be expected to support all cheerleader fund- raising projects under the direction of the cheerleader coach. The Birdville Independent School District will fund the following one-time amount for each newly selected cheerleaders or mascot(s): $175.00 Varsity/Mascot $100.00 Junior Varsity $75.00 - Freshman (A detailed list of expenses will be distributed to each candidate at the pretryout meeting. Each candidate can expect to pay any amount between $800 to $1,800. Competition Team expenses are not included in this amount.) Purchasing uniforms from graduating cheerleaders can save money. Sizing of uniform must be agreeable to cheerleader coach (and parent, if available) at order placement. Changes due to weight or height gain or loss are not the responsibility of the company or Birdville ISD. The cheerleader coaches standards of correct fit must be followed. Alterations necessary are to be arranged and paid for by the parent and approved by the cheerleader coach beforehand. Uniforms must be paid for by the 1 st day of school in August. Fifty percent (50%) of the bill must be paid before camp. An outstanding balance after the 1 st day of school will cause the cheerleader to be removed from the squad. 3
Payment for each cheerleader's individual account becomes the responsibility of that cheerleader/mascot and his/her parents at the time of order, whether or not that cheerleader or mascot completes the year as a cheerleader or mascot. Cheerleaders are to follow the National Federation Cheerleading Rules, which has rules pertaining to safety issues. The book is kept with the Varsity Cheerleader Coach. A student accident insurance program is available. Those who choose not to participate in this program must have a parent/guardian signature on an insurance waiver. RESPONSIBILITIES OF SELECTED CHEERLEADERS/MASCOT(S) Loyalty is a key ingredient to the success of a group such as the Cheerleaders and Mascot(s). Cheerleaders and Mascots: need to give unqualified loyalty to their high school, its athletic teams, administrators, fellow cheerleaders, coach, and other school groups must abide by the district s rules stated in the BISD Code of Conduct and Honor Code handouts attend all summer activities, which begin as soon as school is out in May It is the cheerleader s and mascot s responsibility to notify the cheerleader coach ahead of time of any absence from practice. The following are excused absences: personal illness, injury, funeral or death in the family, special school activities with prior notice to the coach, family vacations, and religious holidays. The cheerleading class/practices will be treated the same as any other class and the campus administration will make the final determination about excused and unexcused absences. The coach must receive written notices no later than the second day a member returns from the emergency absence. If the excuse is not received by the second day, the absence will be unexcused. Cheerleaders and Mascots are expected to: Be on time and prepared to participate in all scheduled cheerleader team practice sessions and events Participate in and share equally in preparation of cheer activities Participate in all cheerleader-sponsored fundraising activities Perform at all school events scheduled by the cheerleader coach 4
Exhibit high moral standards and abstain from tobacco, illegal drugs, and alcoholic beverages at all times, both on and off campus Cheerleaders will provide their own transportation to and from the games in the BISD district when school transportation is not provided Cheerleader/mascot leadership class is a ½ credit elective course applying to high school graduation. All cheerleaders and mascot(s) must be enrolled in the class during the fall and those not enrolled in a sport for the spring semester are required to remain in the class for the spring semester. The class will meet daily. If enrolled in a sport during the spring semester, the cheerleader or mascot is responsible for attending some practices and all cheerleading commitments unless excused by the cheerleading coach. Attendance Policy for being eligible to participate: Each cheerleader/mascot(s) must be at school at least ½ of his/her scheduled day to participate in any cheer event on that day. Eligibility rules for number of games cheerleaders can participate in per week: one game between Monday Thursday, and any amount of games Friday after 3:30 p.m. through the weekend. Playoff games are excluded from this rule. When wearing the school-approved uniform, a student is not allowed to wear jewelry, including strings/rope chains. Cheerleaders must also have hair pulled back in a tight ponytail or away from the face for short hair. Fingernails, including artificial nails, shall be kept at a length appropriate and within safety rules. All cheerleaders in uniform will not be allowed to chew gum during school-sponsored activities. The cheerleading uniform, defined as anything purchased through the high school, is only to be worn at assigned times. Cheerleaders must not: wear any part of the uniform to school or any other activities without specific permission to do so lend any part of the uniform to someone who is not a cheerleader or mascot Remember that the cheerleader represents the high school and BISD and must act appropriately when putting on the cheerleader uniform. MAINTAINING ELIGIBILITY Cheerleaders must maintain a scholastic grade of 70 or above in every class. Any student receiving an individual grade lower than 70(F) is ineligible and will be placed on probation for three weeks according to the No Pass No Play Rule (state law). 5
Probation means no participation in cheerleading activities both during and after school (excluding practices). A cheerleader s grade probation is lifted at the end of the probationary period if every subject grade is 70 or above. Failing a second time is cause for dismissal from the squad. Probation for failing any AP classes or PreCalculus will be decided by the School Principal. Cheerleaders and Mascot(s) must abide by the Disciplinary System used at their respective schools. (Candidates receive a copy of the Disciplinary System and Cheerleading Guidelines in their tryout packets.) Cheerleaders and Mascot(s) must meet district eligibility requirements published in the BISD Secondary School Handbook. Cheerleading is a commitment for a full year. Award letters and jackets will be presented at the beginning of the year for a full year s service as a Varsity Cheerleader/Mascot. 6